Students are nominated to attend HOBY during their sophomore year of high school. The programs take place in the spring/summer each year, so students attend at the end of their sophomore year, as rising juniors.

Students who are 15-17 by the start date of the seminar are eligible to attend the World Leadership Congress.

HOBY seminars take place each spring and summer and are held on college and university campuses. Please check out the seminar schedule to look for dates and locations in your area.

The majority of students are nominated by a school counselor or administrator who conducts a selection process. To learn more, please check out our School Nomination Kit. If you do not work for a school but are still interested in nominating a student, please check out our Community Nominations page for more information.

The only difference between school and community nominated students is the way they were nominated for the seminar. Once they are nominated and have completed their registration, there is no difference in experience.

Schools are required to have an account in our system and a designated HOBY ID. If you work for a school and want to check on the status of an account for your school set up with an account, please email us at hoby@hoby.org.

The majority of our seminars welcome at least 2 student nominations per school. If you are interested in sending more than 2 students and are unsure of your seminar’s availability, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

A nomination is what the school or community partners submit. A registration is a form that the student and their parent(s)/guardian(s) complete to accept the nomination. The nominators submit a nomination for student(s) and will be cc’d on an email to the student and their parent(s)/guardian(s) with a link to complete their registration. The registration includes additional information about the student and is an opportunity for the student to 'accept' their nomination. The goal of this is to make the process easier for all involved, but it still allows you to complete the registration if needed.

Yes. Our Community Nomination program welcomes HOBY alumni, volunteers, community members, and partner organizations to nominate students for our State Leadership Seminars. Advocates for students who attend virtual or home schools, or students whose schools are unaware of or unable to participate in our programming, are also encouraged to nominate students through this program. Community Nominations help ensure that we continue to achieve our organizational goal of welcoming as many students as possible to this step on their leadership journeys.

All students who attend HOBY programs need to be nominated. We have two nomination pathways--school and community.

Once a student is registered for a State Leadership Seminar, they will recieve the contact information for a local volunteer. If you have any questions before a student is registered, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

No. HOBY is not affiliated with any religion or political party.

At HOBY, we believe leadership is a skillset to be learned and not a position to be held. HOBY is a great fit for students who:
-are passionate about their communities.
-have leadership potential.
-understand and relate to the experiences of others.
-are curious and eager to learn.
-are interested in community service.
-are adaptable and self-reflective.
-like to collaborate and work with others.
-demonstrate good character.
-have a strong sense of integrity.
-are excited to connect with peers across the state.
-are critical, detail-oriented thinkers.
-want to make a positive impact in the world.
-value hard work and cross-cultural connection.

Our seminars bring students together across different backgrounds, cultures, and communities. We help students discover a newfound sense of awareness, confidence, connection, and purpose. Our seminars are proven to cultivate personal growth and inspire action. Students leave HOBY with the knowledge and passion needed to make a positive impact on the world around them.

Yes. HOBY programs take place on college and university campuses and students stay overnight.

Rooming and dorms vary by seminar site, but the majority of students will be assigned a roommate for an on-campus dorm room.

HOBY will work with students and families to make reasonable accommodations for all participants. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

Each seminar will send out specific packing lists, but some generally consistent items include:

• Bed linens – twin/XL twin/single/full size sheets and pillow case
• Blanket or sleeping bag
• Pillow
• Bath towel
• Toiletries – handsoap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, personal care products
• Clothing
• Jacket, sweatshirt or other long sleeve shirt
• Comfortable shoes
• Shower shoes
• Umbrella and/or rain coat
• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Phone & phone charger
• Bag or backpack
• Prescription Medication
• OTC medication
• Health Insurance Card
• Small amount of spending money (optional – for HOBY merchandise and other items available during the weekend)

No. You will not need a laptop, but we do recommend bringing a smartphone, or a tablet if you do not have a smartphone.

The majority of our seminars welcome at least 2 student nominations per school. If you are interested in sending more than 2 students and are unsure of your seminar’s availability, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

Generally the dress code is casual, but each seminar will share out specific requirements as the seminar date nears.

The registration fee for the seminar is dependent on the location, but ranges from $225 to $450. The registration fee covers housing, food, and all programming materials for the weekend.

The majority of registration fees are covered by the schools.

During the nomination process, nominators will enter the email address that is to be sent the invoice. Once the student's registration is completed, the invoice will be automatically sent to the email address indicated. Should you need an additional invoice, or different format, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

Once payment is received, the payor, the nominator, and the student will receive a confirmation email. If you need a separate receipt, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

HOBY does not issue refunds for registration payments. Should the student you have paid for be unable to attend, we will happily work with you to apply paid fees to a new student's registration or to transfer the student to a different seminar within the same seminar year.

Each year, HOBY alumni and volunteers are challenged to complete 100 hours of service to their communities. These service hours are a tangible way for our alumni to apply their passion and leadership skills toward making a positive impact. HOBY honors L4S participants with Bronze, Silver, or Gold awards based on the total eligible hours served. Over 5,000,000 service hours have been logged by HOBY alumni since 1998, and that number grows as HOBY alumni log 60,000+ hours of service each year. Learn more here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c48D7HM2SrOM-P5YB_PbyHTJs9lZGzwyrQC1fsiyxtA/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.z400xzxroxku

Please visit our application to get started! https://formstack.io/5CDE8 Seminars across the country are looking for outstanding volunteers!

Volunteers whose annual volunteer application has been approved will be granted access to the Volunteer Resource Center using the same primary email they used for their volunteer application within 2-3 days. If you are unsure of your application status, please reach out to us at hoby@hoby.org.

Once approved, you can view the Volunteer Resource Center here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0ADEA_zVwxBBPUk9PVA

Established to recognize HOBY alumni and volunteers for their accomplishments in the classroom, the HOBY All-Stars program is a unique way to connect your school career to your HOBY experience! There are two levels of recognition – Academic All-Stars (3.5 GPA or higher) and Graduate All-Stars (GPA under 3.5) and applications open each fall.

Volunteers whose annual volunteer application has been approved will be activated in HOBY Connect using the same primary email they used for their volunteer application within 2-3 days. If you forget your password, you can view a how-to guide to reset your password here: https://connect.hoby.org/faqs.